CHANGE OF PLAN FOR MILLARDavid Millar (Garmin) missed the two-day British national team training camp at Mendrisio, the venue for the World Championships because of a change of plans, partly as a result of being picked for the Vattenfalls Classic in Germany at the weekend.

It meant 12 riders met up with Rod Ellingworth to discuss the Worlds and train on the circuit.

BRITS IN THE VUELTARoger Hammond and Daniel Lloyd (both Cervélo) are both set to start in this year’s Vuelta.

For Lloyd, it will be his second Grand Tour of the year, after riding the Giro d’Italia in May. For Hammond, it will be his first appearance in a Grand Tour. He told Cycling Weekly earlier this year that he would wait to ride one until the preceding Grand Tour went without a doping scandal. There were no doping scandals at the Tour de France this year, so step forward Roger Hammond.

For Garmin, David Millar will be riding in his third Grand Tour of the season, a remarkable feat.

Also listed is Charly Wegelius, although he is third reserve for Silence-Lotto and stands little chance of riding.

KENNAUGH RIDING WELL IN ITALYThe Great Britain Academy squad are in the middle of a block of racing in Italy. The week started well, as Peter Kennaugh took eighth place in Sunday’s Trofeo Bastianelli, a race that he won last year.

There was more to come at Tuesday’s GP Citta di Felino; the 20-year-old Manxman placed fifth, near the head of a sixteen-man breakaway group finishing behind race winner Richie Porte.

The team now heads to the GP Capodarco on Sunday August 16, a race that Kennaugh also won in 2008.

Above: Kennaugh in winning form earlier this year

CAVENDISH BACK IN THE UKMark Cavendish will return to Britain on Tuesday (August 18) to drop the flag for the inaugural Right to Play Pedal Power the Change Ride, which begins in Edinburgh.

Cavendish will see 100 cyclists off on their 500-mile ride from Edinburgh to London.

Taking place across six stages between August 18 and 23, the money raised from the ride will help fund children to attend Right To Play’s Sport for Development Programmes, a scheme which has helped to improve the lives of children worldwide.

BRAMMEIER SECOND IN KERMESSEMatt Brammeier (AN Post-Sean Kelly Team) finished second at Sunday’s Voorshoven-Neeroeteren kermesse race in Flanders. The Liverpool-born rider was pipped across the line by Sander Helven (Davo-Lotto-Davitamon).

Brammeier has also been riding some of the post-Tour criteriums. He was the only Brit at the Gouden Pijl criterium on Tuesday, where he raced against the likes of Alberto Contador and the brothers Schleck.

ALL-FEMALE CHARITY TEAM FINISH LEJOGThe Ful-On Tri LEJOG cycle relay team completed the 873 miles of the Land’s End to John O’Groats in a time of 46 hours, 16 minutes and 26 seconds, approximately 10 hours quicker than predicted. Assisted by great weather as well as a fabulous support team the cyclists arrived in John O’Groats at 4.45am on Sunday.

Not only was the sun beginning to rise when the team cycled in together to celebrate with all the LEJOG crew, the fundraising total was also still rising to £4,640 for the Dave Aitchison SportsAid Fund.

You can still show your support and recognition of the LEJOG achievement at http://www.justgiving.com/daveaitchisonfund_lejog_ttt.

COMMUTERS SWAP TO BIKES FOR CYCLE FRIDAYSNovice commuter cyclists from across the capital were today guided into central London in a series of bike convoys in a new initiative by the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) dubbed ‘Cycle Fridays’.

For eight weeks the rides will depart at 8am from six different locations around the capital, led by experienced riders, providing a useful service for riders who need a little extra support to start cycling to work.

Those joining the rides were greeted by ride marshals from the London Cycling Campaign and given a basic bike check and relevant TfL cycle maps before getting on the road.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “ Whether it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday I tend to go by bike but, although it is safe and getting safer, I fully appreciate that some people find it a little daunting at first.

“Cycle Fridays are a brilliantly simple way of giving thousands of commuters the confidence to get cycling. I’m sure that when they see how much of a fun, healthy and convenient experience it can be they will be hooked.”

The initiative is part of a summer of cycling in capital, designed to boost the numbers going by bike. There has been a nine per cent increase in those pedalling on London’s major roads over the last year, but the Mayor and TfL are seeking to go further – aiming at a 400 per cent increase by 2025.

The initiative runs until October 2. See www.tfl.gov.uk/cycling for more.